Respective adjustment devices for motor vehicle seats are known, for example from DE 10 2008 028 353 or DE 10 2008 063 150, and are employed, for example to adjust the contour of side bolsters, in order to implement a side support for the vehicle occupant. The adjustment principle is based on the fact that an inflatable body is provided between two plates and when filled with a fluid, such as air, presses the two plates apart. This arrangement is covered with a seat cushion. The contour changes its shape when the inflatable body is filled according to how movable the plates are designed.
This type of adjustment is generally sufficient for a comfort adjustment of the seat because as a rule the seat contour is adapted to the occupant only once. However, usually this type of adjustment is relatively slow because a relatively large volume of the inflatable body must be filled or emptied through a relatively small hose line. With the system described, frequent or fast adjustments that offer additional support, for example in case of accidents, are not possible or are possible only to a limited degree. Very high pressure would be required to fill a volume quickly in order to fill a large volume in a short time thus achieving large adjustment paths or a significant contour change.
Known from DE 10 2007 054 257 A1 is a vehicle seat with a curved elastic section having advancement sections with an adjustment element arranged between their free ends. The curvature of the bent section is changed by applying pressure on the two free ends.